force 85 hp

[sillyocis]

got this boat for free. this is my first boat. 1987 bayliner capri 1700. boat had been sitting for two years. rotten deck. interior sun destroyed. had some plantlife growing in it. galvanized trailer though! lol. i put a battery in it and smelled the gas. squezed the fuel bulb 30 times and turned the key. thing started right up so i shut it down immediately. im talking within 2 seconds. everything works in the boat except the bilge pump and the hull is in great shape so i figured ill "restore" this boat right. i have recently finished cutting out the deck and seat bases and will be completely redoing the interior. the force 85 seems to run great. starts right up and idles fine. i have used muffs and barrels of water and i just cant seem to get the waterflow i would like or expect. i havent run the outboard for more than 30 seconds for fear of Burning it up. i installed a telltale and nothing comes out ever. i pulled of the lower unit and it all looks very good. i did not pull off the stainless plate or gasket as i have no replacement yet and since the impeller looked good i figured it wasnt needed at the time. i even "primed" the impeller by filling the waterpump through the telltale before starting thinking this would gey it to pump water but still nothing! the impeller key is in there. the only thing i havent checked is if the impeller is spinning around the brass insert but thats my next move and also to check the passages i keephearing about under the stainless plate. i doubt they are blocked or corroded. this motor looks almost factory new beleive it or not. not a single bolt has been "sticky" the entire inside of the lower unit is super clean. driveshaft is shiny! I do have an impeller and gasket ordered and will replace them even though it appears not nesecary. i have a clear passage through all tubes. (water runs from the thermostat housing out exhaust snout. i do get some "light spray out of the exhaust vents and some out of the exhaust snout when running. water is definitley not getting to the top of the power head though. AM I MISSING SOMETHING.!? i would hate to put a single dollar into a boat that is destined to burn up. i guess its important to say that the oveheat buzzer has never gomne off. i dont even know if it has one and or if it works. i am paranoid about overheating. used hand method and thing gets hot pretty fast. i removed thermostat completely as well. checked it on stove. works fine but i have not re-installed it. i need to start over from square one and do a complete cooling troubleshooting checklist. any help or advice would be gra=eatly appreciated. i have searched all posts already. lots of similar problems posted but nobody ever posts what the solutions turned out to be. sorry this was so long...i'm venting>

 

[Unbalanced]

Re: force 85 hp

If you can't get waterflow through the engine with the thermostat out, then you have a pump problem or restriction between the intake and the pump.

On my 85hp, I had trouble getting good water flow even after changing the impeller. I replaced the thermostat and have good flow now.

 

[john from md]

Re: force 85 hp

You should check the housing to see if it is corroded and the lower housing to ensure that corrosion hasn't cut its way between walls. If this happens, the pump will pass water between the intake and exhaust side of the housing without it ever going up through the power head.

Also insure that the woodruff key is not missing or broken.

John

 

[sillyocis]

Re: force 85 hp

thanks. the key is in place. corrosion below that stainless plate can be the only issue at this point as its the only thing i havent checked. ill report my findings after i dissect that part of the lower unit.

 

[john from md]

Re: force 85 hp

If you have corrosion in the water pump body below the stainless wear plate, you may be able to repair it. If the corrosion is not too bad (meaning that the entire wall is not missing) you can try building up the chamber wall with JB Weld.

You have to clean it real good using a stiff brush and a mild white vinegar solution. Then rinse and dry under a light bulb. Make a dam of tape on the impeller side. Mix the JB Weld for at least two minutes. Let it sit for about thirty minutes to be less runny. Apply and let sit for the time it says in the instructions. Make sure to build it up on the side outside of the impeller chamber. This will give it additional strength. When totaly cured, file the top even with the existing casting and blend the wall area where the impeller is.

This will work for small repairs as there is little water pressure in this area. However, if you constantly go in shallow water where you can pick up sand and debris, it will not last as long.

The only other option is to find a water pump body and that can be problematic.

John

 

[gjm]

Re: force 85 hp

I just got a water pump housing from dollaroffshore.com for my 85hp

 

[sillyocis]

Re: force 85 hp

i ordered an impeller kit and removed the stainless plate now that i have a gasket. no corrosion at all. i was dissapointed as i was hoping this was the problem. replaced the impeller, gasket, drive shaft seal and stainless plate. there is nothing else i can do. it's in gods hands now. lol. unless there is something obstructing in the lower unit below the lower pump housing there is nothing else that can be done. im taking her to the river by my house for a test run. upstream ofcoarse. well see if it overheats or what. hopefully the overheat buzzer works. wish me luck.

 

[Dave K.]

Re: force 85 hp

Good Luck...If everything checks out w/ the motor, that is no overheating or anything else major, your rebuild on the boat will be worth it. You'll have a dependable motor & gd hull platform for a long time.. keep us posted.